Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-11

announced the governors decision. HAIe
they going to murder my brotherP asked
Spies pretty sister, in voice that trembled
with emotion.
"The governor declines to interfere with
the sentence of the law in his case" was the
answer.
All the girls courage fed with the color
from her cheeks, and before hand could be
extended to her she sank upon the floor and
burst into tears. Her old mother, who under
stands but little English, and who had not
caught the real import of the dreadful intel
ligenee Buchanan brought with him, sank
down beside her and mingled her own tears
with those of her daughter. The latter tried
between her sobs to break the news as quietly
as possible to the old lady, but when she
understood that her son was to die her grief
was well nigh uncomfortable 20, my Au-
gust, my August, my beautiful boy; they
will murder you. The assassins Of the law
will take your life," she moaned in heart
broken accents Editor Buchanan, with
tears in his ewes, turned away from the scene
and left Mr. Black and his wife to administer
such comfort to the stricken women as they
could
When her first outburst Of grief was over,
Miss Spies slowly arose and drying her eyes
helped her mother to stand up and then with
the assistance of the other ladies led her to a
chair, where she sobbed and cried as if her
heart would break Later Mrs. Spies went
to the Jail and had last interview with her
son. 1t was a scene to make the staunchest
heart sick.
HBut when Miss Van Zandt was admitted
,lo xxfu r,atbafia hat II iS
almost sacrilege to write of it. The poor
girl, infatuated with real and true love for
the condemned man, had never been in his pres
ence before without iron bars between them.
1t was her first and last embrace of the man
she calls husband, and all the concentrated
intensity of life of love was infused into the
meeting.
| Shortly before o'clock a female figure,
dressed entirely in black and heavily draped
and veiled with Grape, moved with slow
| and trembling steps down Michigan street
and assembled the stone stairway of the Grim
| inal court building Not over twenty feet
| ahead of her were Sheriff Matson and Capt
| Ben Price, clerk of the jail, but neither Of
| them saw her The big iron doors had closed
behind them when weak tapping was heard
on it. The deputy swung it back few
| inches.
"Who is itl" he called
Mrs. Parsons" came the reply in veal
| accents
@Pm sorry, but my orders are not to admi
| yon,n said the deputy,
"Can not see my husband before he diesf
she cried in agonizing tones.
aNoF
Hardly had the monosy liable left his lip
when piercing shrek rang out, and Mrs
Parsons fell unconscious on the hard stone
floor. The doors were Immediately thrown
open and she was carried inside the big lob
by. The police dropped their rifles and RAJ
for water, which was applied to her face. Ii
few minutes she recovered With her frs
breath she began the most piteous, affecting
appeal that ever woman made to Sc her I'm
fortunate husband
As kindly and gently as possible she wa
informed that it was impossible to grant ne
request and with tears coursing down he
cheeks and yelling sobs almost choking her
she left the jail and went to her children a
home.
Mrs. Fielden was visited by reporter a
her home, 10 West Polk street, Thursda,
evening, and asked if she had heard Of tn
communication of her husbands senee. "Oh,
am glad that my man is saved from tina
awful DEATH" she said, 'but my heart is flu
of trouble What will l and my childre
do without my mana 1t almost kills me t
think of the winter coming; my baby sic
and me not strong myself, and none to loo
out for us. Oh, such trouble, such trouble.
"Have you been over to the Jail to Sc
your man to-dayr
mo, there was no use. They would nc
| have let me seen him.
Surely, Mrs. Fielden, the reporter asked
'you must be glad to think that now you ca
see you husband again, and that there ma
some time be chance of his being pardoned
"Oh, fear that will never happen-not
time to do me any good My heart will bur
if l think of it Oh, my poor children"
Have you any resources left, Mrs-l Fielc
emf
Enough to last awhile; but am not stron
enough to work. and don't know what wi
become of u.s."
And the cheerless-lo looking room, with i
bare floor, without fire, at once sittinl
J room, kitchen, and dining-room, SCENE
} enough to justify Mrs. Fielden in giving h
first thoughts to her children.